History of Pizza: Who Invented It, and Where?

Pizza may be one of the world’s most favourite foods, but this cheesy treat didn’t start in the United Kingdom. Sure, it beat out steak, tacos, pasta, and hamburgers as the food most Americans and British people would like to eat for the rest of their lives. But is pizza American? Is it British? Or—in homage to its culinary and linguistic roots—is pizza Italian?

Plenty of cultures might like to claim pizza as their invention. But depending on how you define it, the origin of pizza goes back as far as ancient times. The doughy delight evolved from flatbread, which has been around since the ancient Greeks, Romans, Persians, and Egyptians. An early record of pizza’s historic predecessor comes from one of Rome’s greatest poets, Virgil. In his 19 BCE epic Aeneid, he writes of Trojan citizens fleeing their city’s destruction and landing in Latium, Italy, where they found themselves ravenous after their journey. Still hungry after their meal of mushrooms and herbs cooked on stale round loaves, the travellers also ate the serving cakes. The hero’s son, Ascanius, then declared, “See, we devour the plates on which we fed!”—making pizza history.

The convenience of plating savoury fare atop dough rounds may have first been announced by Ascanius, but pizza’s portability—and taste—have made it the late-night snack and sidewalk lunch of choice. So, how did pizza become so popular? Read on.

Where Was Pizza Invented?

Who Invented Pizza?

In What Year Did the World’s First Pizzeria Open?

How Did Pizza Become So Popular in the United Kingdom?

Pizza's introduction to the UK happened primarily in the post-WWII era, with the first official record of pizza being sold in Britain at the Olivelli restaurant in Bloomsbury, London, in 1934. In 1947, the first pizzeria in the United Kingdom was established in London—called Pizzaland.

So, Is Pizza American?

New York-Style

New York-style pizza usually has sugar and olive oil in its crust. Unlike Neapolitan sauce, which is made of uncooked crushed tomatoes and salt, New York sauce is made of canned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, sugar and aromatics, such as basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. The cheese on a New York-style pizza is made from grated low-moisture mozzarella, as opposed to the fresh slices on a Neapolitan pie. The minerals in New York’s highly lauded tap water are also reputed to play a role in the flavourful taste of a city slice.

Deep Dish

Another major American pizza style—deep dish—originated in Chicago. It almost didn’t happen: The original plan was for two Chicago restaurateurs to open a Mexican spot. But when one of them got sick from an enchilada, the two decided to start a pizza restaurant instead. Though debate ensues over who actually invented deep dish pizza, the pair’s goal was to offer something that would stand out in their already pizza-heavy neighbourhood of Chicago’s Little Italy.

Detroit-Style

Unlike its cousins, a Detroit-style pizza is rectangular. In 1946, a Detroit bar owner decided he wanted to offer something new. His wife suggested a recipe from her Sicilian mother, and the Detroit pizza was born. Similar to some styles of Sicilian pizza, the base of a Detroit pizza is a spongy focaccia, and the toppings are pressed into the dough. Along with tomato sauce and olive oil, a combination of brick and mozzarella cheese tops the pie. The high fat content of the brick cheese helps create a crispy crust, which is a hallmark of Detroit-style pizza.

British Pizza

British pizza typically refers to pizzas with British toppings and flavours. These pizza creations often incorporate local ingredients, such as wild mushrooms, Lincolnshire Poacher cheddar or Old Spot pig. British pizzas may also feature more standard Italian-American combinations like Hawaiian, Pepperoni or Meat Feast, with unique British twists. In some areas, like Scotland, you might find a deep-fried pizza called a ‘pizza crunch’.

Supreme

While not tied to any particular region, the history of “supreme pizza” marks the creation as distinctly American—it began as a branding exercise in the 1970s for a pizza chain that wanted to create a new type of pizza. Now on menus across the country, the definition of supreme pizza varies but is usually marked by classically American abundance. You’ll usually see peppers, onions, sausage and pepperoni, for starters. After that, it’s up to the pizzeria.

History of Pizza: Who Invented It, and Where?